Defeated in overtime, the Cataractes are eliminated from the Memorial Cup

The Shawinigan Cataractes set a President Cup playoff record by winning each of their seven games that ended in overtime. Their reservoir of magic was dry this time.

More details will follow

The story of the game

Mason McTavish played a very strong match. He thought he had scored the first goal of the game early in the game. Skillful in controlling the disc, he forced Antoine Coulombe to move and tried to lodge the puck in the top of the net. His shot first hit the horizontal bar, then the post to the goalkeeper’s right.

So it was the Cataracts that broke the ice. After hitting the post in turn during an unsuccessful power play, captain Mavrik Bourque put the Cataractes on the scoreboard in the sixth minute of play. However, it is his teammate Charles Beaudoin who deserves all the credit. His quick and snarling forecheck saved the Cataractes from a disallowed punt. At the corner of the rink, he was able to recover the disc and pass it on to Olivier Nadeau who spotted Bourque who was heading towards the enclave.

The Cataracts’ lead lasted just two minutes. Mason McTavish served a skillful pass to Artem Grushnikov who only had to push the disc behind Antoine Coulombe to allow the two teams to return to the locker room with a 1-1 tie after one period.

Fair, but legal

The Bulldogs hit the post for a second time in the game, then Mason McTavish fired a low, very fast shot to make it 2-1 for the Bulldogs as the Cataracts had barely resisted a two-minute penalty.

Olivier Nadeau then deflected Isaac Ménard’s shot behind goalkeeper Marco Costantini. The play was reviewed by the officials since Nadeau’s stick appeared to have exceeded the legal height (horizontal bar).

The Cataractes were completely bottled up in their territory at the end of the engagement, but were able to resist the assaults of the Bulldogs who continued their attacks in the third period. Avery Hayes managed to push the puck past Antoine Coulombe to make it 3-2, but the official whistled just before she entered the net. After review, the Canadian Hockey League upheld the on-ice decision and the goal was disallowed.

William Veillette then deflected a shot from defender Angus Booth’s paddle to put Shawinigan back in front, then Logan Morrisson continued his infernal streak by creating the tie. The Bulldogs star forward had just registered at least one point in a 27^e consecutive duel and thus pushed everyone into overtime.

The psychologist trainer

Shawinigan Cataractes coach Daniel Renaud regularly talks about the mental preparation of his teammates. The pilot had kept a card up his sleeve for the Memorial Cup tournament. While his team is backed up against the wall and must win to survive, he distributed a letter to each of his players before the meeting.

It was members of their family who had written a few lines for them, which did not fail to move some players.

Shortly before the start of the semi-final at the Memorial Cup tournament, the head coach of the Shawinigan Cataractes, Daniel Renaud, gave his players letters written by members of their family. (Credit: QMJHL)